Carton sealer



1941- R. F. GLAZEBROOK E/TAL 2,246,094

CARTON SEALER Filed Dec. 13, 1938 2 'Sheets-Sheet 1- .Y a 55K,

June 1941- R. F. GLAZIEBROOK EI'AL 2,246,094

CARTON SEALER Filed Dec. 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 17, 1941 CAR-TON SEALER Russell F. Glazebrook, Richmond, and Lucious Vaughan, Highland Springs, Va., assignors to Larus & Brother 00., Inc., Richmond, Va., a corporation of Virginia Application December 13, 1938, Serial No. 245,522

9 Claims.

This invention relates to packaging and sealing apparatus for use primarily in the filling and sealing of cartons, such for example as the filling and sealing of cartons with packages of cigarettes and which cartons are placed in a larger container for shipment to the trade.

Heretofore it has been customary for an operator to take packaged cigarettes fed from a Wrapping machine along a chute and place a certain number (usually twenty) of these cigarette packages in a carton. This carton was then sealed by another operator, or by a machine especially built for this purpose, and the carton with the packages of cigarettes was then transferred to a shipping container. There was therefore, then, a machine and an operator required for the sealing of the carton containing the twenty packages of cigarettes.

It is an object of the present invention to materially expedite and simplify these packaging and sealing operations and reduce the machinery and labor required in performing them. The present invention eliminates one operator, and instead of a complicated machine for sealing the cigarette carton, a simple mechanism is provided. This mechanism or apparatus is operated by the placing of the cigarettes in the carton and closing of the carton, a slow drying adhesive being applied so that the setting of the adhesive takes place after the carton containing the ciga- Y rettes is placed in the container.

The invention also contemplates in packaging and sealing apparatus novel improvements which generally simplify while at the same time render more fficient apparatus of this type.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view taken through packaging and sealing apparatus constructed in accordance with the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in adhesive-applying position;

Fig. 3 is a broken plan view of the apparatus of Fig. l; and,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the adhesive or glue-applying device or applicator.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 generally designates a table or analogous support having legs 6. The table is provided with a depressible portion or member I which is mounted on a leverage assembly including a main operating lever 8. This lever is pivoted or hinged at one extremity by hing pin or member 9 and at its opposite extremity is pivotally connected to a link it extending upwardly and in turn pivotally connected to a lever or arm II. An additional support for the depressible member 1 may be provided in the form of an angle iron to paralleling the lever 8 and connected to the latter by a cross member 8b, the lever 8 and the angle iron 80. being vpivotally connected at their rear ends by the hinge pin 9. The lever I I is adjustably secured on the hub portion or end of a shaft I2 which carries a plurality of adhesive or glue-applying devices or applicators generally indicated at I3, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 4. p

The applicators I3 are each in the form of an assembly comprising a rod which is extended through the shaft I2 and adjustably secured in position by means of a nut I3a. The lower end of the rod carries a hollow or tubular member lsb adapted to receive the applicator proper I30, which is preferably formed of rubber or analogous relatively soft or resilient material. The part I30 is provided with a shank I3d which is socketed into the member I31), and immediately above this shank the member I3?) is formed with an opening I32 to facilitate application of the part I30. Thus, whenever it is desired to insert an applicator, means such as a string may be tied around the shank I3d and the string then extended through the opening I3e and the shank then easily drawn into its opening or socket. Since the applicators I30 are preferably formed of relatively soft or resilient material, considerable difiiculty would otherwise be experienced in applying them to their holders.

The shaft I2 is supported in bearings on the rear wall of a glue pot or like adhesive box or container I4 disposed in an inclined position on a pedestal block I5. Means in the form of a spring I6 is provided for returning the lever 8 and the depressible member I to their normal or idle positions as shown in Fig. 1.- To adjust the throw of the lever 8 and thereby also adjust the throw of the applicators I3, a stop or limit in the form of a screw I1 is provided and is mounted in a bracket Ila connected to the underside of the table 5.

The type of carton which is illustrated as being handled in the present instance is a cigarette carton generally indicated at I8 and having a cover flap I8a. and an edge sealing flap I822 which may he scored at the point where it joins the cover v flap Eta. The individual packages of cigarettes I9, note Fig. 2, may be fed from the machine that wraps them in Cellophane (said machine not being shown) by means of a chute or like conveying means 29. The panel I is preferably tapered or beveled from its front portion to the rear thereof, and in rear of the panel a flap-supporting member in the form of an upstanding bracket 2| is mounted in a manner such that the flap its. will be supported in its raised position while the operator is loading the carton. As will be obvious, the sealing flap 18b is then so located with respect to the container [4 and the applicators it therein that when the latter are raised from idle position in th container, they will be brought into adhesive-applying position with respect to the flap.

An operator standing in front of the table 5 takes the individual packages of cigarettes from the chute 2i and places them in the carton it, there generally being two rows or layers of packages in each carton. Simultaneously with the insertion of the top layer, the operator depresses the member I, which may be done by pressing down on the top layer of cigarette packages. This motion causes the member I to swing downwardly, and through the lever 3, link iii, lever l I and shaft it cause the adhesive or glue applicators to swing upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby applying glue to the one side of the flap I871. The only additional operation then required is to fold the flap l8?) inwardly and bring the cover lSa downwardly over the box with the said flap telescoped inside of the front wall of the carton In. The package may then be disposed in a shipping carton, or container along with other similar packages, in which position the adhesive sets.

In certain installations is may be desired to dispense with the services of an operator and have the apparatus operat entirely automatically, such for example as where the individual packages are loaded into a carton mechanically instead of manually. In such instances, it is only necessary to counterbalance the leverage mechanism such that the weight of the carton plus its load of packages will automatically actuate the said mechanism. This counterbalancing may be do-neby extending the lever B rearwardly beyond its pivotal or hinge point and applying weights thereto. In such instance the spring 46 could, of course, be dispensed with.

The operation is simple and easily carried out, requiring no contact with the adhesive by an operator or handling of any applicators or the like which would retard and render disagreeable the work of an operator.

It will be understood that certain changes in structure and design to accommodate different installations and operations may be adapted without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for packaging and sealing cartons, a depressible member adapted to support a carton in a position. such that while the latter may be loaded or filled, a container having an adhesive therein, a movable adhesive-applying member mounted to dip into the adhesive when in idle position, and means operatively connecting said depressible member with said adhesiveapplying member whereby when the depressible member is actuated the adhesive-applying member will be brought into operative adhesive-applying position with respect to a sealing flap of the carton.

2. In a machine for packaging and sealing earn tons, a table or analogous support, a depressible member mounted in said table and adapted to support a carton in a position whereby it may be loaded or filled and with a sealing flap exposed, a container having an adhesive therein, an applicator movably mounted with respect to the container so as to dip therein when in idle position, and means operatively connecting said depressible member with said applicator whereby when the depressible member is depressed by a loaded carton said applicator will be brought into adhesive-applying position with respect to said sealing flap.

3. In a machine for packaging and sealing cartons, a table or analogous support, a panel disposed in said table and adapted to support a carton in a position whereby it may be loaded or filled and with a sealing flap exposed, said panel being depressible with respect to the table, a container having an adhesive therein, an adhesive-applying device movably mounted with respect to said container so as to dip into the adhesive when in idle position, leverage mechanism operatively connecting said panel with said device whereby when the panel is depressed said device is brought into adhesive-applying position with respect to said sealing flap.

4. In a machine for packaging and sealing cartons, a table or analogous member, a depressible panel pivotally disposed in said table and adapted to support a carton in a position whereby it may be loaded or filled and with a sealing flap exposed, a container having an adhesive therein, an applicator pivotally located adjacent said container and adapted to dip into the adhesive when in idle position, a lever connected to said panel and also operatively connected to said applicator whereby when the panel is depressed said applicator will be raised clear of the container and brought into adhesive-applying position with respect to said sealing flap.

5. In a machine for packaging and sealing cartons, a table or analogous member having a panel movable with respect to the table and adapted to support a carton in a position whereby it may be loaded or filled and with a sealing flap exposed, a lever hingedly mounting said panel in the table, a container having an adhesive therein disposed adjacent said panel, one or more adhesive-applying devices or applicators pivotally mounted adjacent said container and adapted to dip into the adhesive of the latter when in idle position, and means operatively connecting said lever to said applicators whereby when the panel is depressed said applicators are pivoted upwardly from said container and brought into adhesive-applying position with respect to the sealing flap of the carton.

6. In a machine for packaging and sealing car-- tons, a table, a panel disposed in said table and movable with respect to the latter, said panel being of a size such as to support a carton, means at the rear of the panel whereby a sealing flap of the carton is supported in raised position clear of the carton permitting an operator to load the carton, a lever pivotally mounting the panel in the table, a container having an adhesive therein disposed adjacent said raised flap, one or more adhesive-applying devices or applicators pivotal- 1y mounted adjacent said container so as to dip into the adhesive of the latter when in idle position, and means operatively connecting said lever to said applicators whereby when the carton has been loaded and the panel is depressed said applicators are raised into adhesive-applying position with respect to said flap.

'7. In a machine for packaging and sealing cartons, a table, a panel hinged in said table so as to be depressible with respect to the table, said panel having a surface which inclines rearwardly and being of a size such as will support a carton thereon, means at the rear of the panel whereby the cover and sealing flap of a carton will be supported in raised position clear of the carton permitting an operator to load the carton, a lever assembly supporting the carton and including an operating lever, a container having an adhesive therein disposed at the rear of the carton and adjacent thereto, one or more adhesive-applying devices or applicators pivotally mounted on said container so as to dip into the adhesive of the latter when the applicators are in idle position, a shaft to which said applicators are adjustably secured, a lever connecting said shaft with said operating lever and whereby when said panel is depressed said applicators are pivoted upwardly and contact the sealing flap of the carton, and means operating to return the panel and leverage mechanism to carton loading position.

8. In a machine for packaging and sealing cartons, a movable member adapted to support a carton in an upright open position whereby it may be loaded and with a sealing flap exposed, an adhesive applicator movably mounted within range of said sealing flap, means connecting said applicator with said movable carton supporting member whereby when the latter is actuated the applicator will be moved to and from adhesive-applying position with respect to said sealing flap, and means for supplying adhesive to said applicator.

9. In a machine for packaging and sealing cartons, a depressible member adapted to support a carton in an upright open position whereby it may be loaded and with a sealing flap exposed, an adhesive applicator movably mounted within range of said sealing flap, linkage mechanism connecting said carton-supporting member with said applicator whereby when the said member is depressed, the applicator will be moved to and from adhesive-applying position, and means for supplying adhesive to said applicator.

LUCIOU'S VAUGHAN. RUSSELL F. GLAZEBROOK. 

